Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1887-12-07
ALPENA WEEKLY ARGUS.
MISCELLANEOUS.
A FAMOUS DUELIST.
Some Interesting Stories OF a
Noted French Fire. Eater.

Duoling Is not an ancient institu-
ton. No traces of 1t are to be found
among any of the nations of anti
putty. The medieval trial by brute
force would seem to have been the
foundation of the modern duel The
first recognition of single combat as
regular judicial proceeding is to be
found in the laws of Gundebald,
King of the Bur5sndians, at the begin
ming of the sixth century. The prac-
tice spread rapidly mong the warlike
Franks. and In the reign of Charlie
imagine, three hundred years later.
IL had become so universal that not
only the parties in common suit at
law, but the witnesses and even the
judges were constantly summoned to
mortal combat in support of the JUS
tice of their cause. the truth of their
testimony or the uprightness OF their
decisions This manner Of trial was
nfterward restricted by Louis VII to
the decision Of criminal accusations OF
civil causes. when, as shown by the
ordinance he rendered in 1l68. the OBJ.
ject of the dispute exceeded five ''sols, "
or cents, in value-five cents in those
days being. Of course. a much Target
sum than il is to-day.
These laws and customs are the
sources of the duel; and II is from this
ancient practice Of making the sword
the scale OF justice that the modern
duel, modified from time to time, has
descended to us. Single combat as a
judicial proceeding did not, however,
survive the fifteenth century, and with
Its gradual disappearance the modern
duel became the recognized means OF
vind,cating offended honor. Italy was
the first great field for this modified
single combat. Thence tho rage
spread with redoubled fury into
France, Spain and Great Britain. In
England we hear little of it before the
prohigate days Of the Stuarts. But it
Is France that affords the most detailed
and authorized records Of dueling.
The French Kings and Parliament long
maintained its formal and practical le-
gality. Henry II. presided. with his
whole court. at the combat between NJ
de Acknowledgements and M. de Jarnac,
caused by scandal. which terminated
in the death of La Chataigneraie;
when de Jarnac, his hands yet reeking
with his kinsman's blood, raised them
to Heaven and exclaimed: mot unto
me, 0 Lord, but unto Thy name be
thanks" Charles TX. was the last
French King who presided at one of
these exhibitions; so he was also tho
first who sought to check the practice
by naming Court of Honor" for the
satisfaction of offenses committed
against its laws. In Henry Tvs
reign, and in defiance of his edicts in
flicting the penalty of death on all du-
clists, there fell in duels no fewer than
four thousand of his subjects, while up
wards of fourteen thousand pardons
were granted for fighting.
About half way up the Rue de Jour,
near the Sainte-Eustache Church in
Paris, is an old house, rendered con-
spicuous by wide porch and extensive
stock-in-tradc of china. This, two
centuries ago, was the Hotel de Roy
aumont, built by Philippe Hurault,
Bishop of Charles and Able of Royau-
mont Later on, it was occupied by
Francois de Montmorency, Comte de
Boutoville, who made Ii general
rendezvous for the duelists of Paris.
All the gentlemen of the court, eager
to challenge any of their peers over
some love intrigue, or who for some
personal motive looked daggers at
each other on the Place Royale or the
Cour Ia Refine, met at the mansion in
the Rue du Jour. Here they were hos
pitably received and entertained; they
were offered cold collation. with
wines and liquors before entering the
lists, and those who had forgotten to
bring weapons were provided with a
goodly selection Of polished steel
Throughout the morning there was an
incessant clash of blades, each thrust
and parry being watched with intense
interest by veterans. who, after old
scores had been wiped of, and the
resident surgeon had bandaged the
combatants' wounds, were invited
with the duclsts and their seconds,
to luncheon with the Comte dc Boute-
vile.
1t would doubtless be vain quest
to seek. nowadays. for single repre-
sentative of this defunct race of duel
lists, race to which Choquart evident
ly belonged. He must have had an.